Shoe-shank.



J. BOORAK.

v SHOE SHANK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14. 1915. Y

Patented May 30, 1916.

51 wvemtoz JBsEPH 5 non/1K $1 17 attozmeqfi I JOSEPH BO ORAK, OF MASPETH, NEW YORK.

sHoE-sHAN'K.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1916;

Application filed June 14, 1915. Serial No. 33,981.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be ,it known that I, J OSEPH Boonax, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hun gary, and residing at Maspeth, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Shoe- Shank, of which the following is a specifi-' cation.

. My invention relates to shoe shanks and particularly to shanks for ladies high heel shoes, the object of my invention being to provide a construction of greater strength and rigidity while at the same time of low cost for the purpose for which shanks of the type in question are commonly employed. 1

In the accompanyingdrawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation partially in section, of a ladys shoe in which'my. invention is embodied in one form; Fig. 2 is a partial section therethrough on the line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the shank alone; and Fig. 4 is a plan of the shank blank.

In the manufacture of ladies shoes it is common practice to employ a metallic reinforce usually called a shank, at the instep or arch of the shoe. As heretofore constructed these shanks comprise merely a curved strip of sheet metal, a portion of which overlaps the upper face of the heel, while the major portion of the strip extends down the instep toward the ball of the foot. The point of greatest strain on the shank is at the forward upper corner of the heel where the shank is unsupported by the heel body and at which point the severest flexing strains are encountered. As a consequence of these strains it is a common occurrence to find the shank broken at the point mentioned, with the result that the arch of the shoe, having lost the support afforded by the shank, is deformed since the light sole of the shoe is entirel insufficient to resist the strains that are put upon it. A shoe thus deformed is not only unsightly but injurious to the wearers foot. The present shoe shank is especially designed for strength at this point of strain without increasing the thickness of the metal of the shank or depriving it of that flexibility which it is highly desirable the shank shall possess in order that the shoe may give in accordance with the natural flexion of the foot during walking, dancing, etc.

In the form here shown the shank comprises a body 10 of sheet metal of any suitable form, the forward end 11 being here shown somewhat narrower than the heel end 15. The blank is shown in Fig. 4 and it is preferable to market the present constructlon in this form since it is perfectly flat and a large number of shanks can be conveniently packed within a small compass while in this shape. In use however it is curved in part to the contour of the front of the heel and this curvature may be imparted to the shank by the manufacturer or shoemaker, in accordance with the requirements of the particular shoe which he is at work upon. The forward portion 11 of the shank maintains substantially its normal fiat shape and is secured at a suitable point in the instep by means of screws, pegs, or the like, passing through holes 12 into the sole 13 of the shoe. The rear portion .of the shank is divided, and in the form here shown comprises a tongue 14 struck from the more or less elliptical rear end 15 of the shank. The portion 15 is bent to the curvature of the front face of the heel 16 of the shoe and is secured against the same by a peg, screw or the like 17 passing through the perforation 18 and taking-into the body of the heel which is commonly of wood in ladles shoes of the type for which a shank of the present character is particularly adapted.- The tongue 14 which serves merely as. an anchor forms a substantial continuation of the forward portion 11 of the shank and overlies the upper face of the heel being anchored thereto by a screw, peg, or the like 19 passing through the hole 20 in the free end of V the tongue. A cover skin 21 of leather is stretched over the heel and the shank so as to conceal the latter; The fintion from the heel by the tongue 14, anchored to the heel by the securing element 19 In other words, the forward upper edge of the heel fits snugly in the angle between the anchoring tongue 14 and the down-turned strut 15 of the shank secured to the front of the heel.

It is obvious that none of the flexibility of the shank at the arch of the shoe is lost by the present construction, since the shank as a whole may be made of sheet metal of the ordinary weight and the forward end 11 thereof may possess the customary dimensions best adapted to afl'ord the requisite flexibility consistent with supporting strength.

One of the advantages which the present construction possesses is found in the fact that the anchor tongue ll which overlies the top of the heel, is of such narrow width that it lies within the area bounded by the usual three nails employed to secure the shoe sole to the top of the heel. These nails are ordinarily simultaneously driven by a machine, and this operation is not interfered with by the present shank since the nails lie outside the area of the tongue 14. This is a feature of great practical valuesince a machine operator can do ten times the work of a hand operator. At the same time the strut portion 15 of the shank is secured by a single screw or nail 17 centrally placed at the lower end of the strut. At

this point there is no danger of splitting the wood of the heel, as there would be if the nails were applied near the edges of the heel.

In some cases it is not necessary toutilize the portion 15 of the shank as a strut secured to the front of the heel andin such cases both the tongue 14 and the surroundwould be curved to the desired instep supporting shape and be utilized in the manner now customary. This would be the manner in which the shank is used in mens shoes where the fieXure at the front edge of the heel is not so great.

It is obviously possible to angle the tongue 14' down against the front face of the heel and use it as the strut element, while the surrounding portion 15 is carried back over the heel and used as an anchor. Such a use of the shank is unintelligent however since greater strain is placed upon the strut member than upon the anchor member and the member of greatest strength should form the strut element. It is of course possible to form the strut and anchorage members in various ways, that shown being merely an example to illustrate the invention.

Various modifications and details will readily suggest themselves which do not depart from what I claim as my invention.

I claim as my invention As a new article of manufacture, a metallic shoeshank having a strut portion arranged to. lie against and be secured to the front of the heel and an anchor tongue struck from within the margins of the said strut portion and overlying the top of the heel, said anchor portion being arranged to lie inside the area bounded by the usual sole-securing nails entering the top of a heel, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I havesigned my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH BOORAK.

Witnesses:

RODNEY I1. MARoHAN'r, L. H. GRo'rE. 

